[Release] SweetFX Vibrance Shader

[6./ZG26_Gielow]

Based on my experience, the real world always looks hazy from a cockpit, never shining bright HD.

[Leaf]

Based on my experience, the real world always looks hazy from a cockpit, never shining bright HD.

 

Depends where you fly I guess. Air pollution is a major factor in determining visibility.

[Tab]

After trying out SweetFX I must say, I'm not a big fan of the built-SMAA. It gives not enough AA for my taste and does not address shimmering distant textures at all. For me it comes near to in-game AA only in combination with adaptive multisampling AA (to enable in the driver settings), BUT both SMAA and adaptive multisampling currently give a huge hit to the framerate in the game (certain "Heavy" clouds are very problematic). I was tweaking the settings the whole day. The game is not ready for that yet, while it really looks way better with some contrast and sharpness added.

Update: well actually just even enabling sweetfx with all settings OFF cuts fps in half.

 

Edited July 9, 2014 by Tab

[snowsnipersnow_sniper]

No such issue for me. no Fps impact from Sweetfx.

 

improve all the aspect of game. make it more real and very  less brightness

 

here is my tweaked sweetfxsettings. for Sweetfx 1.5  July update.

SweetFX_settings.zip

 

 

 

 

 

If you need Sweetfx 1.5 ready for BOS (two folders)

http://forum.il2sturmovik.com/index.php?app=core&module=attach&section=attach&attach_id=5716

AA ingame must be on 0. then paste in data folder latest version of July update sweetfixsettings 

 

 

Tab, the AA is quite good in this sweetfxsettings file.  Shimering in game exists too. but there is so much brightness it's difficult to see it in original game. if you take attention you'll see it.  I suppose brightness is a way for dev to hide distant shimering but my eyes are tired of that.

Edited July 12, 2014 by snowsnipersnow_sniper

[Tab]

snow sniper your screenshots look good.

 

I have actually solved the fps issue and the built-in AA issue. My opinion is that the built-in AA works better than the SMAA, especially for jaggy distant forests. How I solved it:

I basically used Radeonpro to inject the contrast and tonemap changes. Apparently radeonPro does not use the SMAA shader, but only those shaders that you activated, as opposite to all other SMAA injectors that turn on the SMAA anyway, even if you do not use it in your settings preset.

So my understanding is: radeonpro only injects those shader parts you tell it to, that's why it does not interfere with the in-game AA.

Now I have sharp picture with realistic colour balance and contrast and (IMO great) in-game AA and no fps impact at all.

In case anybody wants to give it a try: you need 1.1.1.0 version of RadeonPro and 1.4 version of SweetFX. You will also have to un-tick the "fullscreen" option in the il2 launcher. Despite the naming radeonpro works with nvidia cards too.

 

 

 

Edited July 12, 2014 by Tab

[Livai]

 

After trying out SweetFX I must say, I'm not a big fan of the built-SMAA. It gives not enough AA for my taste and does not address shimmering distant textures at all.

 

My opinion is that the built-in AA works better than the SMAA, especially for jaggy distant forests.

 

SMAA is a cheap AA. Great and Fast. SMAA that we have here with SweetFX is 1x SMAA but there is better SMAA out there like 2x SMAA or 4x SMAA but only for games like Crysis 3 for example. Not ready for a injector like we have. If you want a good AA build your own AA just render the Game with 3840x2160 or higher (its possible above your monitor specs)  and then scale it down to your Monitor Resolution and you would have the best AA and you not need to use the AA inside your Graphicdriver or the Ingame one.

 

Now is SMAA Version 2.8 if you want you can add some code to the injector to improve the build-in SMAA.

 

 

[snowsnipersnow_sniper]

downsampling cost fps and make difficult to spot aircraft.

In a flightsim spotting is the only way to perform.

Sweetfx SmAA can bee adjusted in conf file.

 

shimmering is not only a SmaAA feature, it can appears as you tweak curve contrast or whiteblack levels and things like that

[Tab]

yeah I know SMAA can be tweaked in the file. The "ultra" preset was not enough for me. I also know that you can go beyond "ultra", but then the HUD becomes barely readable.

Contrast curves only make shimmering more pronounced. You can elimante it by killing the contrast, but it defeats the purpose for me... Better way to address the shimmering is a proper anti-aliasing IMO.

I agree that downsampling won't work with the flight sim.

So that's my IMO:

1) smaa + adaptive MSAA is a good match for the in-game AA picture-wise, but you get blurred fonts everywhere in the interface and sometimes weird random FPS-drops (probably hardware-dependent) in clouds or above forests

2) built-in AA affects only in-game scenery (not the HUD, which is good) and fps is more stable.

3) higher contrast, tonemapping and sharping vastly improve the picture quality in game.

Based on that I'm best catered with sweetFx injection via RadeonPro, that does not conflict with the in-game AA, because you can turn off SMAA completely.

your mileage can vary, I was just sharing my thoughts on it, letting other people know, that there is a method to apply sweetFX and keep the in-game anti-aliasing

[DD_Arthur]

@Tab, SGB and Snowsniper; really interesting, useful info in this thread.  S!

[Livai]

yeah I know SMAA can be tweaked in the file. The "ultra" preset was not enough for me. I also know that you can go beyond "ultra", but then the HUD becomes barely readable.

Contrast curves only make shimmering more pronounced. You can elimante it by killing the contrast, but it defeats the purpose for me... Better way to address the shimmering is a proper anti-aliasing IMO.

I agree that downsampling won't work with the flight sim.

So that's my IMO:

1) smaa + adaptive MSAA is a good match for the in-game AA picture-wise, but you get blurred fonts everywhere in the interface and sometimes weird random FPS-drops (probably hardware-dependent) in clouds or above forests

2) built-in AA affects only in-game scenery (not the HUD, which is good) and fps is more stable.

3) higher contrast, tonemapping and sharping vastly improve the picture quality in game.

Based on that I'm best catered with sweetFx injection via RadeonPro, that does not conflict with the in-game AA, because you can turn off SMAA completely.

your mileage can vary, I was just sharing my thoughts on it, letting other people know, that there is a method to apply sweetFX and keep the in-game anti-aliasing

 

My point of view is that my Vibrance Shader can beat all SweetFX Shader together. The only problem is with 3D (Games) vs Movie (2D) the Effects look completely different. For Movies unbeatable but for Games still better than SweetFX Shader.

 

If you want the best Sharping you can forget SweetFX. The best is Sharpen together with Sharpen Complex 2.

[Picchio]

If you want the best Sharping you can forget SweetFX. The best is Sharpen together with Sharpen Complex 2.

 

Uh...? Lumasharpen is actually an almost completely rewritten and optimized Sharpen Complex 2.

Edited July 13, 2014 by Picchio

[Hartigan]

By the way, Why SweetFx / FlightFx works fine with ROF with ingame anti aliaising ON. I have to turn AA off when using FlightFX with BOS?!? 

[Livai]

[Release] Vibrance Shader [Final Version]
[Download]
http://freakshare.com/files/uk3mntgy/Vibrance-Shader--Finial-Version-.rar.html

• new & better funktion added
• some bugs fixed

[Read me]
I did some research and disabled each single Shader from BoS step by step. The blue cloud is done with a Texture not a Shader that gives hope to change this after the game get Mod-Support. And I have seen someone who reduced the snow bright to see better enemy planes but this is a BoS Shader that do this effect.

Now some words about Sharping the Image --> Take a look at tools with [Negative LOD Bias]  that can be set from -3 to 3 to sharp the Image

[Leaf]

Slightly off-topic, but how do you actually install SweetFX?

[Picchio]

 

[Release] Vibrance Shader [Final Version]

[Download]

http://freakshare.com/files/uk3mntgy/Vibrance-Shader--Finial-Version-.rar.html

• new & better funktion added
• some bugs fixed

[Read me]

I did some research and disabled each single Shader from BoS step by step. The blue cloud is done with a Texture not a Shader that gives hope to change this after the game get Mod-Support. And I have seen someone who reduced the snow bright to see better enemy planes but this is a BoS Shader that do this effect.

 

Now some words about Sharping the Image --> Take a look at tools with [Negative LOD Bias]  that can be set from -3 to 3 to sharp the Image

 

 

Did you find a way to enable or disable SSAO separately as well?

Also, link seems broken from here.

[OBT-Mikmak]

Can someone explain precisely how to install Sweet FX ?

[Picchio]

The following files must be inside bin/game - d3d9.dll; dxgi.dll; injector.ini.

The following folder/files must be inside data: the entire SweetFX folder (which in turn contains the Shader folder); d3d9.fx; dxgi.fx; SweetFX_preset.txt; SweetFX_settings.txt.

 

SweetFX will not work if in-game AA is turned on, because.

 

You should be good to go, I hope I haven't missed anything.

Edited July 23, 2014 by Picchio

[snowsnipersnow_sniper]

hey obt mikmak, 

there's a link up with 2 folders ready made to copy !  http://forum.il2sturmovik.com/index.php?app=core&module=attach&section=attach&attach_id=5716

 

can't wait to see your own sweetfx tweek, i've tried one of yours and busso too, in clod.

 

[OBT-Mikmak]

Thx guys ! it runs well now.

 

However, it seems that it's not possible to change settings when game is running.

To see the modification, i have to relaunch the game. This is not practical...

[Picchio]

 

Thx guys ! it runs well now.

 

However, it seems that it's not possible to change settings when game is running.

To see the modification, i have to relaunch the game. This is not practical...

 

 

Alt+Tab and edit SweetFX_settings.txt; refresh/reload it in-game by pressing Pause, or the key you've bound the reload function to... couldn't be easier, right?

 

Edited July 24, 2014 by Picchio

[OBT-Mikmak]

THX Picchio, it works

[snowsnipersnow_sniper]

My Ultmate one for July  !

sweetfx 1.5.1 version

 

good for spotting

nice snow

Cockpit not too dark

less bloom power

less saturation

 

SweetFX_settings_ultimateJulyBOS.zip

 

 

hope it will be nice for some.

[Trinkof]

My Ultmate one for July  !

sweetfx 1.5.1 version

 

good for spotting

nice snow

Cockpit not too dark

less bloom power

less saturation

 

SweetFX_settings_ultimateJulyBOS.zip

sweetfxJuly2014_01.png

sweetfxJuly2014_02.png

sweetfxJuly2014_03.png

sweetfxJuly2014_04.png

 

 

hope it will be nice for some.

 

Just awesome ! I tested it tonight and it is REALLY helping for spotting ! 

 

I liked more the "blue looking" for personal taste, but yours is way more helpful regarding gameplay ! 

 

Many thanks 

[Leaf]

The following files must be inside bin/game - d3d9.dll; dxgi.dll; injector.ini.

The following folder/files must be inside data: the entire SweetFX folder (which in turn contains the Shader folder); d3d9.fx; dxgi.fx; SweetFX_preset.txt; SweetFX_settings.txt.

 

SweetFX will not work if in-game AA is turned on, because.

 

You should be good to go, I hope I haven't missed anything.

 

 

hey obt mikmak, 

there's a link up with 2 folders ready made to copy !  http://forum.il2sturmovik.com/index.php?app=core&module=attach&section=attach&attach_id=5716

 

can't wait to see your own sweetfx tweek, i've tried one of yours and busso too, in clod.

 

 

Thanks, both of you!

[DD_Arthur]

@Snowsniper; great settings!  You've got the enhanced colour range just right imo whilst keeping the cockpit light enough.  S!

 

Incidentally, I downloaded your 1.51 version settings into FlightFX and applied them successfully.  They work really well in CLoD too.

Edited July 31, 2014 by arthursmedley

[LLv34_Flanker]

S!

 

 Devs were worried of people misusing graphical settings to gain an advantage. Well, the really "competent player" could just use injectors to achieve same thing

[Krause]

@Snowsniper - Thank you for sharing your config. I didn't manage to get working with FlightFx so I did it manually. Sadly I can't compare the differences now between Sweetfx and without it , but it looking good for me anyways.

[snowsnipersnow_sniper]

@Krause  Sadly I can't compare the differences now between Sweetfx and without it , but it looking good for me anyways.

 

Don't know if it's the same on your keyboard

I use one of this two keys ( default for sweet fx )

 

Reload SweetFX = Pause Break Key code 19

or scroll lock :  KeyCode: 145 

 

try this. to refresh and on/off sweet fx, when you're in game

to tweek it and see the result : alt-tab "txt editor " & Bos  then refresh.

 

cheers, 

[Leaf]

I've got a question about the in-built anti aliasing for SweetFX:  is there any way to increase it? I've turned Lumasharpen off, but it's still fairly aliased.

[Livai]

I added my Shader a Color Filter it works great for the first test. Its a challenge to get the snow and all clouds white.

 

 

 

 

 

[Hunin]

The colour balance looks excellent - good job!

 

There are versions of eFX that work with ingame multisampling btw 

 

EDIT 

This one needs all files and folders in your bin\game directory - no need to split them up.

It produces artifacts in the main menu and loadout editor pages, but works fine ingame.

Edited August 20, 2014 by Hunin

[snowsnipersnow_sniper]

Hunin

have you tried eFX in Bos  ?  Is it an issue for windows 8 Users, or it brings new shaders effects for every one   ?

[Hunin]

It works in BoS and it is compatible with the ingame anti-aliasing.

I don't know about Windows 8, sorry.

[Dakpilot]

eFX says it is compatible with win 8.1, however I was unable to get it to work (in win 7) was interested because the SMAA in SWX1.5 on my screen is not as good as in game AA x 4 so it is a deal breaker for me...was hoping to get the best of both worlds with eFX

However I an am imbecile at installing these things so am sure someone can get it to work

 

Cheers Dakpilot

[Tab]

eFX says it is compatible with win 8.1, however I was unable to get it to work (in win 7) was interested because the SMAA in SWX1.5 on my screen is not as good as in game AA x 4 so it is a deal breaker for me...was hoping to get the best of both worlds with eFX

However I an am imbecile at installing these things so am sure someone can get it to work

 

Cheers Dakpilot

you can also try radeonPro with sweetFX, like I am doing it. Just download sweetFX, a preset of your choice, go there and deactivate the SMAA in it and inject the sweetfx with RadeonPro (it works with nvidia cards just fine).

 

snow sniper your screenshots look good.

 

I have actually solved the fps issue and the built-in AA issue. My opinion is that the built-in AA works better than the SMAA, especially for jaggy distant forests. How I solved it:

I basically used Radeonpro to inject the contrast and tonemap changes. Apparently radeonPro does not use the SMAA shader, but only those shaders that you activated, as opposite to all other SMAA injectors that turn on the SMAA anyway, even if you do not use it in your settings preset.

So my understanding is: radeonpro only injects those shader parts you tell it to, that's why it does not interfere with the in-game AA.

Now I have sharp picture with realistic colour balance and contrast and (IMO great) in-game AA and no fps impact at all.

In case anybody wants to give it a try: you need 1.1.1.0 version of RadeonPro and 1.4 version of SweetFX. You will also have to un-tick the "fullscreen" option in the il2 launcher. Despite the naming radeonpro works with nvidia cards too.

[Hunin]

eFX says it is compatible with win 8.1, however I was unable to get it to work (in win 7) was interested because the SMAA in SWX1.5 on my screen is not as good as in game AA x 4 so it is a deal breaker for me...was hoping to get the best of both worlds with eFX

However I an am imbecile at installing these things so am sure someone can get it to work

 

Cheers Dakpilot

 

Drop these into your \bin\game folder and tell me if it works 

[Dakpilot]

you can also try radeonPro with sweetFX, like I am doing it. Just download sweetFX, a preset of your choice, go there and deactivate the SMAA in it and inject the sweetfx with RadeonPro (it works with nvidia cards just fine).

 

Thanks for info

 

Cheers Dakpilot

[Livai]

I think that the Game Engine dont like my Color Filter

[screenshot made at 12:00 and Cloudy Weather]

 

[Livai]

[screenshots made at 16:30 with Cloudy Weather]

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Picchio]

Mind sharing this new shader code of yours?